I intended to post this before the race but never got to it, so here it is for posterity's sake.

The bike held up well and my only issues were with the eccentric bottom bracket, and my kit and gear all worked as intended with no big misses there, though I never really *loved* how I had things organized and packed. I'm still iterating.

And oh man, I loved the Woodchippers so much that I'm tempted to build up a whole new bike around them (like a beater steel ss cross bike or something). They afford a ton of different hand positions, leverage is great in the flared out drops, I loved riding on the brake hoods like a road bike, and as a result I didn't have any hand numbness issues.

I got a pro fitting from Eddie O'Dea in Atlanta with the bike as pictured and stuck with a 90mm, 0 deg stem I think it is (the bike is still in transport from Crazy Cat Cyclery in El Paso – my dad met me at the border and we flew out of there).

Congrats, quite an accomplishment. Interesting setup. I have ridden some off-road and very rough road with a touring bike and drop bars. I never feel comfortable on the hoods while riding steep rough downhills. In the drops I can't get back far enough. I guess you used a bike with a shorter top bar which allowed you to move your weight back on the steeper descents??
I like you prefer long rides with drop bars but again I am not comfortable in rough downhills.
FWIW: I have also many years of Mnt biking experience, no pro but comfortable on dirt.

Thanks guys! Dave, I'm still bummed that I didn't see any grizzlies while in your backyard. Saw a black bear in Canada but that's it.

Your question about what I'd do differently made me think… for one, I'd definitely do it geared if I gave it another run. I'm happy I did it ss this time around but no need to do that twice, and it'd be fun to see the speed differential of being geared + a veteran of the route.

Also, for nav I would use the cues + cyclo as my *primary* method and GPS as a backup (just like Matt Lee advocates). I had only a GPS, so when it died on me in CO I lost time getting squared away with a manual nav setup and back up to speed (cost me two short 75mi days but I didn't skip any of the route or require assistance – stayed the night in Como to try and troubleshoot the eTrex then followed the map cues the next day to Salida where I got a bike computer from Absolute).

I'd also get my packing over the hump and 100% dialed in instead of 90%; e.g., instead of storing my quilt in the front bag and bivy+pad in the rear I'd just roll them all up together in one quick-deploy bulk and pack *that* somewhere.

Charlie — I ended up getting really comfy on the hoods for descents, and anything too techy or steep I'd just walk anyway (Lava Mtn south of Helena and a nasty stretch on the reroute that had just been flashflooded are the only places that come to mind).

I also "walked" down Fleecer Ridge just south of Butte — 38% for .25mi begins just over the ledge here :) …

Thanks for the write up Ron. I'm getting ready for GD next year and one question I have not been able to solve is light. More importantly how to recharge battery packs for lights bright enough to use on trails along the course. I see you used a Revo 800l headlight which has similar characteristics and battery times. Did you just recharge at sockets along the way?

I'm considering re-socketing the CREE LEDs I have so that I can use a small, portable PV panel along the way.

Hey Matt, so sorry I missed this. Forgot to check back in on this thread!

There's a lot of different ways to go with the lighting setup (as you know), and I'm happy with how my system performed. The 800l Revo was powered by my front hub (SON 28 15) so as long as I was moving I had light (though it would diminish when the speed dropped on a climb; generally needs ~10+ mph for full lighting). I then had the Diablo on my helmet, which is equally important as the bar light for spotting obstacles, route nav, field repairs/ messing with your kit, etc. I would go with something that lasted longer and needed less recharging on my helmet next time (like a Lupine Piko, perhaps).

Congratulations that's quite an accomplishment! I see that you have a 2L platy and single water bottle on your frame. Did you have any other water bottles on your forks? What was the largest volume of water that you had to carry? Is the Great Divide Basin the longest dry stretch on the Tour Divide?

Hey Ian, good question. I carried (but barely used) another 1L platy rolled up in the frame bag in addition to the 3 liters you mentioned, but no fork-mounted bottles or anything though those were popular (if finicky).

When I was coming up on a dry stretch I would throw a bottle of water/gatorade/choc milk either in my jersey pocket or saddle bag (or both), which is all I needed for the Basin too. I drank + filled up at a tap at the fire station in Atlantic City (pop 37) before the Basin and that got me the 135 mi to Rawlins on the other side. There's a well 25 miles in but I didn't need it.